February 15 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Once they had decided to take matters into their own hands, Abram and Sarai got themselves entangled in all kinds of difficulties. There was Sarai's jealousy. And Hagar's pride. Wasn't she, Hagar, the one who saved the household of Abram? The looks she gave Sarai and her bearing around the tents of Abram—she flaunted her pride before everyone!

The rest is so easy to understand because it is so utterly human. Also the final showdown: Sarai's pent-up grief and irritation burst out. Her words, invoking God's judgment ("May the Lord judge between you and me"), slapped Abram in the face. Abram was weary: "Your servant is in your hands." The Bible hides what happened under the veiled words "Then Sarai mistreated Hagar."

It makes no sense to ask who was wrong and who was right in the conflict between Abram and Sarai and Hagar. Why do people always want to know who is right and who is wrong after a series of conflicts have erupted? Who can give sensible judgment about right and wrong after people have become enmeshed in troubles, when lives have become twisted by corruption, infidelity, and greed? The fault lies way back. It began when Abram and Sarai left the highway. No use quarreling about who is right or wrong on the side roads. Back to life with God!

May God have mercy on the thousands of our neighbors and on many of us who use religion to do minor repairs to self-styled ways of living. These side road quarrels about right or wrong make no sense as long as the whole direction of life is wrong. Instead of quarreling, we should pray that the God of compassion will drive us back to the highway of faith.

As for Abram, Sarai, and Hagar, God picked up the pieces, just as he had done earlier back in Egypt. Again there is no rebuke. Only silent shame.

REFLECTION

What can you learn for your faith journey from this "side road" experience of Abram and Sarai?

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.